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Nurses and hospital staff at Beheshti Hospital in Bandar Anzali, northern Iran, walked out in protest on March 8, 2025
A new wave of protests, strikes, and violent crackdowns has swept across Iran in recent days as workers, farmers, and marginalized communities took to the streets against economic hardship, corruption, and government repression. Security forces have responded with brutal tactics, including firing on municipal workers, arresting Baluch youths, and burning a fuel trader alive. Meanwhile, a senior police officer was killed in Sistan and Baluchestan in an attack by armed assailants. As opposition to the regime mounts, authorities have also issued warnings ahead of the Chaharshanbe Suri Fire Festival, signaling fears of mass unrest.
On March 8, employees of the Telecommunications Company in Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi, staged strikes demanding overdue wages and an end to exploitative contract practices. This action was part of a broader nationwide movement by telecom workers across multiple provinces.
In Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, surgical staff at Imam Reza Hospital launched a strike after authorities failed to address their grievances.
March 8—Iran
Strikes and protests by the employees of the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI) in multiple provinces across the country.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/xchrepwmTo
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 8, 2025
In Bandar Anzali, Gilan Province, nurses and hospital staff at Beheshti Hospital walked out in protest over unpaid wages and the government’s refusal to pay their Nowruz bonuses.
In Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchestan, members of the PMOI Resistance Units marked International Women’s Day by engaging in anti-regime activities, highlighting the role of women in Iran’s struggle for freedom.
In Isfahan, Isfahan Province, farmers staged a protest over the government’s failure to fulfill promises regarding water rights and agricultural policies.
In Ahvaz, Khuzestan, official oil sector workers rallied against corruption and demanded job security, as many employees continue to work under precarious contract conditions despite passing government employment exams.
At the Iran-Turkey border, truck drivers protested the confiscation of their vehicles, accusing customs officials of corruption and extortion.
March 6—Shush, southwest Iran
Protests and strikes by seasonal workers of Haft Tappeh sugarcane company. The workers demand to be given official employment status.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/Sp6gDtWdhm
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 6, 2025
On March 7, citizens in Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchestan, gathered outside the sheriff’s headquarters in District 14, protesting the arrest of Baluch youths on what they called bogus identification charges. Security forces frequently use such pretexts to target ethnic groups in the region.
Meanwhile, in Tehran, the nation’s capital, as the regime’s president Masoud Pezeshkian visited the province, PMOI Resistance Units carried out anti-regime activities, signaling continued defiance against the government.
On March 7, women’s rights activists in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, held a special event for International Women’s Day, despite threats and pressure from security forces. Civil rights activists and feminist groups attended the event, which featured a public statement condemning gender discrimination, forced hijab laws, child marriage, and the systemic oppression of women’s rights.
Despite the Intelligence Ministry summoning and warning several activists on March 6, the event proceeded, reflecting the determination of Iranian women to defy state repression.
On March 6, seasonal workers at Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company in Shush, Khuzestan Province, continued their strike, demanding official employment status and an end to years of government neglect.
PMOI Resistance Units in Zahedan mark International Women's Day with anti-regime activities and by honoring the role of women in Iran's struggle for freedom.#PMOI #ResistanceUnits pic.twitter.com/C4LZ2eRqHb
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 8, 2025
In Iranshahr, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, armed gunmen ambushed police forces in Boulevard Moallem, killing Lieutenant Reza Derini and wounding another officer. According to local reports, the attackers were on a motorcycle and fled the scene.
On March 5, security forces in Takab, West Azerbaijan, opened live fire on municipal workers protesting months of unpaid wages, injuring four. Two workers were hospitalized, and local officials later confirmed the shooting.
Victims of the Caspian Credit Institution scam gathered once again outside the Central Bank in Tehran, demanding their lost savings. The demonstrators, who have been protesting for eight years, expressed frustration over the regime’s continued refusal to return their funds. One protester lamented, “We don’t know who to turn to. For eight years, they’ve made us wander from one office to another, and still, we haven’t received our money.”
The Caspian Credit Institution was one of several fraudulent financial institutions tied to corrupt government-linked banking schemes, which have left thousands of depositors without access to their savings.
In Borj Dashtu, Sistan and Baluchestan, a Baluch fuel porter was burned alive after security forces shot at his vehicle, causing it to ignite. The killing sparked outrage, as fuel porters in the region have long been targeted by government forces.
PMOI Resistance Units in Tehran hold anti-regime activities as regime president Masoud Pezeshkian visits the province.#PMOI #ResistanceUnits pic.twitter.com/KmK05wR2Gi
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 7, 2025
Also on March 5, workers at the Baghan Dam construction project in Bushehr launched a strike over unpaid wages and harsh working conditions.
Farmers from the village of Siahkal Ivan, Ilam Province, held demonstrations against government failures in fulfilling agricultural promises, further highlighting rural communities’ struggles with mismanagement and economic neglect.
As public dissent grows, Iranian officials have escalated threats against those participating in Chaharshanbe Suri (Fire Festival) celebrations, which often turn into anti-government demonstrations. Rezaeian, a senior security official, stated: “There was a time when we just burned a few sticks… Now, it’s only a matter of time before RPGs and tanks come into play.”
Authorities have deployed police reinforcements, restricted furloughs for prisoners, and announced harsh legal measures to suppress public gatherings.
With growing protests, Iran’s regime has relied on violent crackdowns, arbitrary arrests, and militarized policing to maintain control. However, the persistence of nationwide strikes, ethnic resistance, and political opposition signals deepening unrest and a population unwilling to back down despite the state’s repression.